Beneath the Canvas of Stars
by sighs.and.smiles
Summary: Her old life ended in the silence of the night. Her new one started just on the fringe of daybreak, his hand in hers. Post-war.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and the idea. _Naruto_ is property of Kishimoto Masashi and will remain that way.

Prompt: Forgiveness

Note: Coupleficto my not-so ShikaIno fic, _ Gone Before She Saw It_. Written at the same time as abovementioned fic. This was actually part of a big project I had planned when I was still in high school. Time, life and everything else in between happened so it was put on-hold. Seven years later, I think it's time. So please read, enjoy and review!

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**Beneath the Canvas of Stars**

**~Pieces **

Beneath the shadows of the night, a hawk loomed high above the Hidden Leaf. Its sharp eyes surveyed the village with a determined gaze, shifting the pack in between its wings. It could feel the weight of its task—of the message tucked safely in the pack—reminding it the gravity of its mission. It couldn't fail. That wasn't an option. Its master was sorely adamant in his orders.

Quickly, the hawk swooped down into the village streets, maneuvering expertly over rooftops and lamp posts, almost as if it was a resident of the village. It moved past houses and apartments until finally, it caught sight of the Hidden Leaf General Hospital. Not its real destination but a necessary detour.

Flying past windows, it carefully peered through the glass with the corner of its eye. It flew past floor to floor until it finally stopped, spotting its quarry on the third floor of the east building.

Slowly and stealthily, the hawk perched itself on a nearby tree and silently observed the woman just beyond the glass barrier. She was dressed in a standard doctor's coat over a red blouse and black pencil skirt. Her hair was a mess with strands of her locks escaping from the bun.

The hawk couldn't see her expression but it was sure she was exhausted, judging from her parted lips taking in large gulps of air. She was leaning heavily against the wall, putting most of her weight against it as she trudged down the hall towards her destination. Her movements were uncoordinated and sluggish, every three steps and she was tripping against her own two feet.

Watching her disappear further into the hall, the hawk let out a dismayed cry as its eyes momentarily flickered black and red before it shifted back to its original shade. It let out another disgruntled sound before it shot back into the air, heading towards its intended destination—the Hokage Tower.

Back in the hospital, Haruno Sakura continued down her painful journey back to her office. Her footsteps were heavy, falling on the tiled floor in loud thuds. Her eyes were barely open, struggling to fight the haze of sleep threatening to take over as her body screamed desperately for her to rest.

She had lost count how many times she had stumbled, her face almost meeting the floor as black spots began to linger in her vision. She shook her head to make them disappear but they were as stubborn as she was and persisted to take over. She frowned at this before a sudden, sharp pain began to throb at the back of her head—a forceful pound that almost knocked her off-balance.

Sakura thanked her luck the hallway was deserted. She wouldn't have been able to excuse herself out of her predicament when someone on the staff found their beloved prodigy of a head medic on the verge of collapse because she was simply overworking and overexerting herself… again. Surely, they'd have a laugh when they found her in her state right now, all weak and incoherent thanks to her stupid skills and talent and Hokage's apprentice status.

Gritting her teeth, Sakura braced herself against the wall more and closed her eyes, forcing whatever little chakra reserve she had left to ease the pounding spreading all throughout her head. Slowly, the soft pulsations of her chakra began to spread across her temples and towards the affected areas in a soothing dance. The pain ebbed away as if it were shy of the sweet caress her chakra gave.

A second later and the pain disappeared leaving Sakura breathless and a panting mess on the floor. She pressed her head against the wall and took in greedy gulps of air. She willed herself to relax, to be strong as the last vestiges of her chakra at last were drained.

Fleetingly, a voice in the back of her head began to chide and she almost groaned at the familiar tone of her inner.

_Some medic you are. Look at you all drained and weak on the floor! We were better than this! Back then, we knew our limits! How come you're like this now, huh?! Pathetic! You're pathetic!_

A second voice chimed in with the first and Sakura almost felt delusional.

_What kind of medic are you? I taught you better than this!_ Tsunade's voice boomed in her ear. _What point are you trying to make Sakura?! Thirty-six hours of non-stop work and now you're a heaping mess on the floor! You've barely eaten or slept in the last week! I taught you better than this!_

_It's not like that!_ Sakura tried to reason. _These people need me. They need me. _

_They need me._

_They need me._

_They need me…_

_Do they?_ A third voice entered and Sakura almost felt her heart stop at the familiar baritone. This time she was sure she was delusional. She grimaced.

_Who asked you? _She cut back. _You don't know anything._

_Do I? Sakura…_

"Sakura?"

Immediately, Sakura's eyes snapped open, head turning from side to side as coherence slowly returned. She looked up and found a stern-looking old woman with a black spot painted on her nose. It took her a moment to process before her mouth opened automatically and responded to her caller.

"Nekobaa? What brings you here at this hour?"

"I could ask you the same question, Sakura." Nekobaa replied, her eyes boring down on Sakura. "What are _you_ doing sleeping on the floor?"

Sakura felt her face flush instantly, scrambling to her feet and dusting herself. She looked at anywhere but Nekobaa as she was rising to her feet, propelling her hair to hide her crimson cheeks. "I was just headed back to my office, Nekobaa." She answered timidly. "My shift was harder than usual…"

Mentally, she berated herself for her mistake, taking a quick peek at the stoic woman before her. "So," She started, rubbing her arm. "let me take you back to your room."

Despite the fatigue she was feeling, Sakura pushed herself off the wall, inwardly groaning as her knees trembled. She glanced up at Nekobaa and found the old woman eyeing her critically with a frown set on her lips. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, Sakura tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and steeled herself. She clenched her fists, hiding the action with her coat. She forced a smile.

She was not letting an old woman get to her.

Quickly, she extended her hand and waited for the elder to grasp it. "Let's go?"

Without a word, the old woman nodded her head and took Sakura's offered hand, sliding her arm against the medic's. Quietly, Sakura grimaced as she felt the added weight push against her side but she ignored it. Instead, she took the first step down the hall.

It was silent as the pair chose to immerse themselves in their own devices, the moonlight alighting on their forms and casting long shadows against the walls. Sakura tried very hard to compose herself and appear normal. She couldn't let the elder beside her know about her apparent fatigue. The sudden surge of adrenaline from her earlier embarrassment was wearing off. Each step felt like painful needle pricks coursing through her body. But she would never admit the burden out loud. Her nature prevented her.

Silently, the elder next to her watched as Sakura's face scrunched in total concentration. Nekobaa noted how her emerald green eyes were narrowed, almost to tiny slits and her lips were pursed. Their pace was slow even to the elder's standards.

The trip was uncomfortable to say the least. Throughout, Sakura could feel Nekobaa's intense eyes trained on her. The silence stretched between them and Sakura was glad when she caught sight of the elder's room. She almost let out a relieved sigh when she opened the door and ushered Nekobaa in. "Good night, Nekobaa." She told the elder, smiling as she closed the door behind her. But, Nekobaa was quick to stop the door from closing and her wizened hand shot out to grasp Sakura's wrist.

"Sakura, you've been walking through these halls at exactly the same hour for the past two weeks." She said, tightly holding onto Sakura's wrist. "I understand that you are young and capable of working for hours on end but," Unconsciously, Sakura drew a breath. "you seem to be taking these ungodly shifts more and more ever since your promotion to head medic to be exact."

Nekobaa looked at her straight in the eye. "Are you alright, Sakura?"

Sakura smiled tiredly but inside she tensed. This wasn't the first time this subject was approached and she wasn't about to let an old woman badger her about her work habits. "I'm fine, Nekobaa. There's nothing wrong. A little tired but that's all."

Suddenly, Nekobaa stepped closer and Sakura instinctively backed away. The elder's eyes burned up into hers, her hands shooting up and grasping Sakura's arms, locking the pink-haired medic in place. Sakura could feel the strength from the elder woman and she knew this was a woman to be feared.

"I'm fine, Nekobaa." Sakura sputtered, suddenly nervous; all thoughts of fatigue and sleep gone from her mind. "I'm just doing my job."

Nekobaa's eyes narrowed even more, slitting almost too much like a feline's. "Doing your job," She echoed, her hold tightening even more. "or proving your worth?"

"What?" There was no hiding the surprise present in Sakura's eyes. Openly she gaped, feeling so bare in front of this woman. "I don't understand."

Nekobaa leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Take care of yourself, Sakura. He doesn't like how you are treating yourself. You have nothing to prove."

Immediately, she let go of Sakura's arms, turned on her heel and disappeared into her room. The last thing heard was the silent _click_ of the door as the lock slid into place.

For a few moments, Sakura stood there, stunned. Her mind wondered—_Just how long has this woman been watching me? How long has she observed each and every one of my moves?_ For some reason, Nekobaa scared her.

When she was able to move, Sakura wandered around the hallway, pondering and dissecting the conversation over and over in her head. She found herself in her office, just moments before the sun rose above the horizon, its magnificence radiating prominently. However, her preoccupation hindered her from enjoying the sight. Her hands automatically worked on their own as she opened her office door and entered the room, closing the door behind her. The hard wood pressed against her back but she paid no heed.

She wandered into the room. Her body functioned on its own as she collapsed on her couch and brought her arm up to cover her eyes. One thought echoed in her mind, unsettling her and haunting the very depths of her soul.

_He… what did she mean by he? It couldn't be…_

Unconsciously, she brought her hand to her forehead, eyes drifting across from her towards where her bookshelves were lined against the wall. She caught sight of a photograph, almost a decade old, reflecting a time when everything was simple, innocent. Fleetingly, she realized it was the first time she looked at it—really looked at it—before her eyes closed and her mind drifted away.

For the first time in a long while, she dreamed.

~TBC

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This ficcy was written a long time ago, born out of both my love and frustration for the pairing. Really can't say much except hope you enjoyed the labor of love.

Also, special thanks to the reviewers and readers of my other fic, _Entwine_. I'm happy that you like it! Can't say much but hang with me. It's a tough process.

Review if you may please.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and the idea. ___Naruto_ is property of Kishimoto Masashi and will remain that way.

Prompt: Forgiveness

Note: Seven years ago, I wrote really angsty stuff. Don't ask me since I'm a very bubbly girl. Anywho, please enjoy the second chapter of this fic. Thanks to all the reviewers and followers of this fic! I hope you enjoy this as much I loved slaving away writing and revising everything. Please do read, enjoy, and review!

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******Beneath the Canvas of Stars**

**~Tatters**

_Voices…_

Fleetingly, she could hear them.

_Voices… a boy and a girl…_

Somewhere in the deepest recesses of her mind, she could hear them. Their voices were soft murmurs against her ear. They were familiar, she knew. Everything about their voices she recognized like the back of her hand. Their voices. A conversation. A reminder of a time so long ago.

_Voices…_

Suddenly, they shifted. The voices remained but their tones were different. One was deeper and the other somehow lower but more melodious. They were still the same people—the same boy and girl but they were older. She couldn't see them but she knew. It was them.

_Voices…_

It crushed her to hear them. It scared her and she felt her heart clench tightly.

_Voices…_

Suddenly, only one voice remained. The boy's voice disappearing, fading into the background until it was gone for good.

_Voices…_

The girl's voice remained, hoarse and pleading. She could hear the desperation and the fear ringing heavily in her ear. It threw her in a torrid, forcing her to confront.

_Voices…_

Her heart crushed. Her breath disappeared. And she opened her eyes.

Dazedly, Sakura rose from her position, eyes searching the room but looking at nothing. Her fists were clenched at her sides. Her breathing was heavy and painful. Her body shook badly, cold sweat pouring down her brow.

Something was hurting, she realized belatedly. Something was hurting and it took her a moment to find the source. Somewhere in the middle… no, a little to the left… There. Her heart.

Her heart was pounding heavily against her chest. It ached badly, forcing her breath to come out in pants. Her body shook with the force of its pounds.

Slowly, the fists unclenched and wrapped themselves around her body. She tightened her arms' hold, forcing the shaking to stop. She pleaded in her head and felt the familiar sting at the back of her eyes.

_No…_ She pleaded, almost desperately. _Please just… no…_

**Tap. Tap. Tap.**

Distractedly, Sakura looked up, turning her head towards the window. She blinked, noticing the large brown hawk impatiently tapping its beak against the glass. The hawk was staring at her with its intense dark orbs, making Sakura cringe, remembering the last time she saw the same shade of eyes.

They stared at each other for a long while before the hawk tapped its beak impatiently at the window surface again and gestured towards the lock with its head. It leaned back and waited, looking almost annoyed at her dumbfounded expression.

Confounded, Sakura felt the last tremors disappear from her body as she stood up and made her way towards the window. With shaking hands, she unlatched the lock and slid the glass pane upwards, allowing the hawk to enter. And enter it did, flying brazenly into the room and landing on her table where it continued to watch her from its perch. It studied her, appraising her appearance before—Sakura could've sworn—it frowned.

Under its gaze, Sakura felt very self-conscious of her appearance, running a hand through her hair and smoothing her clothing a bit. She approached the creature cautiously, leaning down to its level as she asked, "Hello? What are you doing here?"

The hawk ruffled its feathers and flew to the other side of the room. It landed on the couch, tucked its wings, and laid its head down. It was still for a few seconds before its breathing eventually evened out.

Sakura grimaced and felt foolish when she realized it was asleep. She shook her head and laughed bitterly under her breath. "I'm going crazy." She concluded, leaning against the table. She watched the hawk closely, racking her brain for some indication about this bird.

It looked familiar but she wasn't really sure where she saw it before. She didn't come closer to it in fear of what it might do to her. She was sure it wasn't just some messenger bird. Based from its earlier stance, this was a battle hawk, one honed with power and skill to assist a shinobi in missions.

Sakura sighed, wondering what it was doing here and how she could dispose of it. However, before she could fully ponder on it, she heard a knock on her door and found Moegi peeking in.

The younger woman smiled at her superior. "Good morning, Sakura-san! Tsunade-sama wants to talk to you in her office now."

"What about?" One eyebrow shot upward elegantly.

"Something about an alliance or something. I'm not too sure but she wants you in her office ASAP."

"And she wants me?" Sakura crossed her arms against her chest. "Everything about alliances is Naruto's. He's the next Hokage."

"I really don't know the details, Sakura-san but Tsunade-sama was specific. She wanted you."

"Fine." Sakura sighed as she rubbed her temples. "Tell her I'll be there in five minutes."

Moegi nodded and closed the door behind her.

Quickly, Sakura walked over to one side of the room where a mirror was suited. She released her hair from its confinement, brushing it expertly with her fingers. She pinned it up once more and applied light make-up on her face. Satisfied that she looked presentable enough, she turned to the sleeping hawk. "You know the way out. Don't mess anything, okay?"

Without another word, Sakura gathered her things and walked out the door, closing it behind her and locking it.

Unknown to the pink-haired medic, the hawk opened one eye, its gaze trained on her retreating figure.

"_**In moments of decision, can one ignore himself for the sake of others?"**_

Within the walls of the Hokage tower, Sakura ventured down the hall. She rubbed the corners of her eyes to dispel the remnants of sleep away. She ignored the persistent growls of her stomach begging for some form of nourishment. She smiled as she passed by fellow ninjas who in turn greeted her with grins of their own.

After a few more steps, she turned a corner and found herself in front of her destination. Lifting a slim hand, she knocked on the door and waited for a response. A short 'come in' answered her and she grabbed the knob, turning it and allowing herself into the room.

"Good morning, Tsunade-sama!" Sakura smiled as she entered her mentor's office. "You said you wanted to see me?"

"Yes." Tsunade answered curtly, gesturing to the seat in front of her desk. "I need to talk to you about something."

Sakura did as she was told, observing the Hokage closely. She knew something was off. The Hokage looked too tense, her amber eyes darting around, avoiding the pink-haired girl.

"Tsunade-sama?"

"For a while now," Tsunade started, "I've been receiving requests from a possible ally. They agree to form an alliance with the Hidden Leaf—an alliance I'm sure will be most beneficial for the village."

"And how is this concerned with me?" Sakura asked, leaning back in her seat, her hand cupping her cheek as she rested one arm on the arm rest. "Anything and everything political is Naruto's. He's your successor. Not me."

Tsunade shot her an exasperated look. "I'm getting there, Sakura! Now, this village has two conditions—two conditions that we can meet to a tee."

"Sounds interesting. Go on."

"They requested to establish an effective medical force in their village and they've, actually the village leader, specifically requested one certain person for the job."

"Uh-huh…"

"They chose you."

"Okay," Sakura smiled lightly, "so, you're telling me that this village you've been corresponding with wants me to teach their nins and establish a fully functional medical force. Sounds easy." She cocked her head to the side. "What village is it?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Tsunade grabbed a few documents from her desk and arranged them distractedly. "The reason it took so long before I could actually approve of their conditions is because…"

The last part of her statement was a mere mumble and Sakura had to lean forward in her seat to hear the words. But all she heard was, "Harder than expected… can't believe I have to do this."

"Tsunade-sama, is something wrong?" Sakura stared at her, looking more amused than bewildered, a smile lighting her cherry lips.

"You see, Sakura. There comes a point in our lives when we must face incredibly challenging decisions. Decisions in the long run that will help us and our future." Tsunade began, shuffling a certain scroll in her hands. "We make sacrifices even though we don't like them. All for the sake of our village and the people we love and cherish."

"Tsunade-sama, what's your point?" Sakura leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, noting the uncharacteristic rambling of her teacher. _Whatever this is must be good. Haven't seen her like this in a long time…_

"I'm sending you to the Hidden Sound."

Sakura's eyes snapped open and she shot up from her seat faster than Tsunade had ever seen her. All humor was gone from her persona. "_What?"_

This time, Tsunade stared at her dead in the eye. "You heard me correctly, Sakura. By the end of this week, you will pack a sufficient amount of your belongings and head to the Hidden Sound for two full years. You will train their shinobis and you will deliver excellent results."

"The Hidden Sound," Sakura repeated, keeping her temper in check. "is a defunct village. Abandoned ever since the end of the Fourth Ninja War."

"Not anymore." Tsunade returned coolly. "It's been in operation for a good year now. Everything's been established and all they need is a proper medic force. One we will deliver."

"They're enemy nin!" Sakura practically shouted. "How can they be our allies now?!"

"I understand the animosity, Sakura but they have turned for the better. Kakashi and Yamato have been keeping a very close watch on their activities. In fact, they've helped establish the military force for the village. Naruto has set up the political aspect. And Sai's helped them build a good ANBU unit."

Sakura licked her lips. "Are you telling me my whole team has been helping the Hidden Sound?"

"For a whole year now."

"Why?"

In her heart, Sakura knew the answer but she needed to hear it. Needed to confirm everything before…

"Uchiha Sasuke is their new leader, Sakura. Team Seven has wholeheartedly agreed to help him reestablish Sound and make it into a respectable ninja village." Tsunade answered, her eyes taking in her apprentice.

Without warning, Sakura pushed all of Tsunade's rearranged paperwork to the side and banged her palms against the hard wooden surface of the Hokage's desk. "For a whole year? All of them? Naruto, Kakashi, Yamato, even _Sai!_" She hissed through gritted teeth.

Sakura was livid. She didn't care that she was disrespecting the leader of her village. She didn't care that the ANBU guarding the Hokage was in the room, ready to apprehend her if she made a wrong move. She just stood there, eyes burning with a passion so bright, her whole aura ignited.

Everyone in the room could feel her rage, taste her wrath. And right now, it was all up to the Hokage to somehow appease the young woman before her.

"Yes, Sakura." Tsunade chose her words carefully. "Every member of Team Seven has assisted the Hidden Sound right from the very beginning when Uchiha Sasuke asked us a year ago."

"Every member of Team Seven, huh?" Sakura whispered, shaking her head and backing away. "Tell Uchiha-sama this," She spat his name. "I refuse. Find someone else. I have better things to do here in the Hidden Leaf." She turned on her heel and practically stomped her way out of the room.

"You don't have a choice, Sakura." Tsunade's voice was eerily calm, stopping Sakura in her tracks. "This is an S-Class mission. You will go to the Hidden Sound by order of _your_ Hokage. This alliance means everything to us. The Hidden Leaf will benefit having the Uchiha as our ally rather than our enemy. Now, I expect you to leave by the end of this week. Settle everything. You'll be gone for two years. Dismissed."

Sakura clenched her fists tightly, her nails making crescent-shaped wounds on her palm. "As you wish, Hokage-sama." She replied coldly before she disappeared from the room.

Tsunade slumped in her seat and rubbed her temples. "Shizune!" She called. "Get me a bottle of sake! I don't care if it's broad daylight, just do it!"

Under her breath, she muttered, "_That _went well…"

~TBC

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The latest manga chapters have reinforced my love for this ship. It's those really quesy, ouchy feelings that have really inspired me to keep on believing and I hope they do that for you too my fellow SasuSaku shippers.

At best, my updates are sporadic. My ficcy writing are confined to spare moments I take to breathe away from all the academic stuff. For those waiting for _Entwine_ updates... please bear with me. Thank you!

Review if you may please!


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